What to do with Husam?

One option being considered is to make him an advisor to Kelantan’s economic task force.

KOTA BARU: The Kelantan government and PAS’ central leadership are considering ways of keeping party vice president Husam Musa’s political career alive without upsetting the royal palace.

PAS sources told FMT that several recommendations were being discussed. Among the most viable proposal, they said, was to appoint him as an advisor to Kelantan’s economic task force, which is headed by Menteri Besar Ahmad Yacob.

At the same time, they added, efforts were being made to get Husam out of the Sultan’s black books.

Husam, 54, is well regarded in PAS and among Pakatan Rakyat supporters as a talented technocrat and ideologue.

The Sultan’s purported displeasure with him became evident last week when Ahmad submitted for royal assent a list of proposed state executive councillors. The ruler struck off Husam’s name.

In his only formal press statement on the issue, Husam denied last week that he had “problems” with the palace, describing Sultan Muhammad V as a just ruler.

Nevertheless, according to sources, Husam’s political associates are making efforts to appease the Sultan.

Without giving details, the sources said Husam’s people were sending out “feelers” to both the royal house and the PAS leadership.

‘What displeasure?’

However another source close to Husam told FMT that there was no evidence that Husam’s name was in the list submitted by the party to the Sultan in the first place.

“Where is the letter which shows Sultan disagrees with Husam’s nomination? We (Husam’s circle within the party) have asked for the leader from the party leadership but nothing has been released so far,” added the source.

The source further said that this was an internal party plot to sideline Husam and has nothing to do with the palace.

Husam, who won the Salor state seat but lost his bid for the Putrajaya parliament seat in the recent general election, is also gearing up to consolidate his position in PAS during this December’s party convention, where party polls will be held.

Chief strategist

Husam has often been described as the “political godson” of PAS spiritual adviser Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat.

He served as a state exco in the previous two administrations and is seen as the architect behind the rise in Kelantan’s economic fortunes as well as the chief strategist behind PAS’s electoral success in the state in 2008.

Some pundits say Husam’s popularity is in danger of fading now that Nik Abdul Aziz has decided to take a back seat in politics.